Key Figures

Almost one in every five persons of concern to UNHCR live in the Americas, one of the hardest-hit regions by the pandemic and its socio-economic downturn.

Forcibly Displaced Population data are sent to UNHCR Country Offices by member states, usually through national institutions responsible for data production in the area of refugee and asylum (National Statistical Offices, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Justice, and Administrative Tribunals). D. When a country does not report refugee figures to UNHCR, estimations based on positive decisions on asylum applications from previous years are used.

Profiles

Total children below 18

Hosted in urban/peri-urban areas

Figure 1: | Population of Concern in 2020 in the Americas

Regional Overview

The total number of persons of concern by end of 2020 stood at 18,357,000, an increase of more than 20 per cent from 2019 (14,961,993).

The Americas hosts 20 per cent of the total persons of concern to UNHCR in the world. In more details, the 18 per cent of the world’s Internally Displaced Persons population, more than 8 million in Colombia. More than 50 per cent of Asylum-seekers (pending cases) of the world are in Americas. 3 per cent of the refugees. 38 per cent of the world People in refugee-like situations and the 37 per cent Others of concern to UNHCR worldwide. Venezuelans displaced abroad are only reported in Americas.

There were more than 6.7 million (6,728,000) refugees, asylum-seekers and Venezuelan displaced abroad (a new category), more than 8 million internally displaced persons (8,571,000) in the region. Persons under UNHCR’s statelessness mandate in the region by end of 2020 stood at 4,000.

The definition of ‘Venezuelans Displaced Abroad’ (VDA) in the context of the Population Statistical Reference (PSR is UNHCR’s platform for collection of data on UNHCR’s population of concern globally): Persons of Venezuelan origin who are likely to be in need of international protection under the criteria contained in the Cartagena Declaration, but who have not applied for asylum in the country in which they are present. Regardless of status, Venezuelans displaced abroad require protection against forced returns, and access to basic services. UNHCR and the International Organization for Migration work together with this population by leading the Regional Inter-Agency Coordination Platform, which is aimed at strengthening the protection dimensions and consistent responses across the region in line with human rights standards.

The following chart visualizes population movements between source and destination countries in the region. Countries that account for less than ????1% of the population of concern were lumped together as “Other”.

Figure 2: | Population origin-destination in the region

In the last five years, Asylum-seekers increased substantially. Recently a new category were introduced Venezuelan Displaced Abroad. Refugees are stationary over the time.

Figure 3: | Evolution over time of the different Population of Concern

The evolution in the last 20 years shows a significant increased in Internally Displaced Persons, especially in Colombia (8,252,788 over 8,571,000). In the last five years, Asylum-seekers increased substantially. Recently a new category were introduced Venezuelan Displaced Abroad. Refugees are stationary over the time. It is registered an important increase over the last two years of Other of Concerns (in 2020__3,052,000__).

Figure 4: | Conflict-related deaths per 100,000 population (SDG Indicator 16.1.2)

Regional Analysis

What displacement?

Compared to the previous year, the population groups with increases were the returned IDPs with 22 per cent and the number of internally displaced persons increased by 12 per cent. The number of refugees and asylum-seekers both reduced slightly by 4 per cent respectively. The largest decrease was within the refugee returnee category with 75 per cent.

Figure 5: | Largest Countries of Asylum

Considering together Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Venezuelan Displaced Abroad, Colombia is the first country with more population, especially for the presence of Venezuelan Displaced Abroad (1,729,537). United States of America has the second largest host has a big component of Refugees (340,844) and Asylum Seekers (997,998). The third country, Peru has a great component of Venezuelan Displaced Abroad (515,039).

The evolution in the last 20 years shows a significant increased in Internally Displaced Persons, especially in Colombia (8,252,788 over 8,571,000).

Figure 6: | Other Displacement

Colombia OOC is the sum of OOC and Host Community.

Other persons of concern (OOC): Refers to individuals who do not necessarily fall directly into any of the groups above but to whom UNHCR has been given a mandate to provide protection and/or assistance (e.g. based on regional documents, peace agreements, General Assembly resolutions). Persons with whom UNHCR is engaged purely on a good offices basis, such as, for instance, rejected asylum-seekers, should not be included.

Forced displacement as a result of conflict, violence, and other causes undermine sustainable development (Goal 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries ), and can increase the risk of regional instability, especially when refugees are hosted in neighboring countries, resulting in possible tensions with local populations. The United Nations General Assembly Resolution (A/Res/70/1) that adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognizes the relevance of the Agenda to meet the needs of refugees, internally displaced persons and migrants on the basis that they are among the most vulnerable. It also explicitly states that Member States resolve to take further effective measures and actions, to “strengthen support and meet the special needs of people living in areas affected by complex humanitarian emergencies”. The target 10.7 recognizes for the first time the contribution of migration to sustainable development by aiming to “facilitate orderly, safe, and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through implementation of planned and well-managed migration policies”.

Figure 7: | Proportion of the population who are refugees, by country of origin (SDG Indicator 10.7.4)

What profiles?

Figure 8: | Demographic breakdown

Often demographic data are not available in Americas. Available demographic data for persons of concern in the region for 2020 show a balance beetwen sex. Of the total population, more than 30 per cent are children below the age of 18 and around the 5 per cent are elderly 60 years and above. More than 35 per cent are between 18-59 years.

Impact of Covid-19, a dramatic drop of solutions

Since the first case of COVID-19 was recorded in December 2019, more than 170 million people worldwide have contracted the virus. The Americas is among the most affected regions

Durable solutions include voluntary repatriation, resettlement to a third country, local integration, naturalization and return to place of origin prior to displacement (for IDPs). However, a growing number of displaced populations have limited opportunities for a durable solution. The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated these challenges.

Costa Rica. UNHCR expands cash assistance programme during COVID-19 crisis

The partial or full closure of borders, along with more general restrictions on movement aimed at limiting the pandemic’s spread, has dramatically impacted opportunities for displaced people to return to their home countries or resettle to other countries.

Figure 9: | Trends for Solution

Country Highlights

Mexico

Recognition rate by Country - and top nationality - RSD -

pending // decision during the year // new

Check otherwise closed…

Figure 12: | Evolution over time of the different Population of Concern in Mexico

Brazil

Figure 13: | Evolution over time of the different Population of Concern in Brazil

Colombia

Figure 14: | Evolution over time of the different Population of Concern in Colombia

Ecuador

Figure 15: | Evolution over time of the different Population of Concern in Ecuador

Peru

Figure 16: | Evolution over time of the different Population of Concern in Peru

Analysis of Situation

Conclusion: the Importance of EGRIS Recommandations

The Expert Group on Refugee and IDP Statistics (EGRIS)https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/expert-group-on-refugee-statistics, in which UNHCR belongs to the steering committee, has released the International Recommendations on Refugee Statistics (IRRS)https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-manuals-and-guidelines/-/KS-GQ-18-004 , which were adopted by the United Nations Statistical Commission during its 2018 session and is a strong Last updated: February 2021 reference for refugee statistics reporting methodologies. UNHCR supports NSOs to build capacity to report on forced displacement in countries that currently lack disaggregated data on refugees.

Glossary

UNHCR Population Statistics Databasehttps://www.unhcr.org/refugee-statistics/ contains data about UNHCR’s populations of concern from the year 1951 up to 2014 as well as their general composition by location of residence or origin, their status, their evolution over time.

Refugees recognized by the Government and/or UNHCR include:

• 1. persons recognized as refugees by Governments having ratified the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, and/or its 1967 Protocol;
• 2. persons recognized as refugees under the 1969 Organization of African Unity (OAU) Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa;
     
• 3. those recognized in accordance with the principles enshrined in the Cartagena Declaration;
     
• 4. persons recognized by UNHCR as refugees in accordance with its Statute (otherwise referred to as “mandate” refugees);
     
• 5. those who have been granted a complementary form of protection (i.e. non-Convention);
     
• 6. persons who have been granted temporary protection on a group basis; Persons in a refugee-like situation refer to those outside their territory of origin who face protection risks similar to those of refugees, but who, for practical or other reasons, have not been formally recognized or issued documentation to that effect.

Every year, UNHCR publish its Population Statistics Reference. it includes detailed statistics from each country on Refugee Status Determination. The data set contains not only reference by country of asylum and country of origin but also:

• Type of procedure: RSD conducted by UNHCR (U), the Government (G), or Jointly (J) by UNHCR and the Government.
  
• Applications refer to “new” applications (N), “re-opened/repeat” applications (R) and/or “appeal” applications (A).
  
• Applications refer to number of persons (P) or number of cases (C). (Preference: PERSONS)
  
• Decisions refer to first instance (FI), appeal/administrative review (AR), judicial review (JR), New applications (NA), Repeat/reopened applications (RA), US Citizenship and Immigration Services (IN), US Executive Office of Immigration Review (EO), Subsidiary protection (SP), First instance and appeal (FA) and/or Temporary asylum (TA).

UNHCR ASR source of figures is IDMC, which estimation methodology can differ from other sources: https://www.unhcr.org/refugee-statistics/download/?url=E1ZxP

Stateless population refers to those individuals without a nationality in their country of habitual residence. Non-stateless population refers to those individuals without a nationality in their country of habitual residence and who are either internally or internationally displaced.

The population groups in this chart should not be summed up to calculate the total POCs figures as the stateless population group includes both non-displaced and displaced stateless.